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Microchip comments...please read!~

I have a 7 mo. old puppy and at my first vet visit for immunizations, I wanted him micro-chipped. My vet said he would do it if I absolutely insisted, but that it is excrutiatingly painful and would prefer to do it when he was put under to be neutered. I did wait because I didn't want to cause him any pain if I knew I would have him neutered in a few months anyway. But I was wondering what everyone's experience was in having it done along with vaccines?

I had my two dogs chipped and they were not put under. Neither of them made a peep or seemed uncomfortable in the least. I don't think it was that uncomfortable for them because even if I mistakenly pull their hair while brushing them they definitely let me know abut it!

But, if you do have surgery scheduled, might as well do it then, just in case!

Personally i'd wait if you are having him neutered anyway. We wanted Chloe done as soon as possible for obvious reasons but the vet said to wait until she had grown a bit. We had her chipped at about 7 months and it was horrible. I've never heard a dog scream like it and she was a nervous wreck for several days later. I felt terrible! We waited until Heidi was spayed to have her done and she never knew a thing about it, the needle is really big for such little dogs

It should not be painful if done properly. I have done my dogs myself with no problems. it takes about 2 seconds, most dogs don't even yelp. the needle looks big but it should be so sharp that they don't feel it

however I was once sat next to the council dog wardens when they were doing microchips at a show & every dog came away covered in blood !
& when I was trained we were told vets often do it wrong because they can't get out of the habit of injecting into the scruff as for vaccinations

Yes, that is a big needle they use! If you can wait til he is neutered, it would probably be best. Just keep a close eye on him, remembering that he has no permanent identification.

We have all our puppies chipped just before they leave for their new homes at the same time they have their final health checkup. What we do is have the vet put a little anesthetic at the injection site. They usually cry just a little bit, but no worse than some of them do when they are getting their regular shots. Oh, and once he has been chipped, have the vet scan for the chip every time you go in to the vet's office. We have had a couple chips go bad on us over the years.

I don't think it is generally 'excruciatingly painful' -- probably not a lot more than having your ears pierced, and it is done in an instant. But if it can be done at the time of a neuter, that makes things easier and makes sense. On the other hand if someone is waiting to do a late neuter I sure wouldn't leave a young dog without a chip for months and months. A momentary discomfort vs having no ID on a lost or stolen dog -- I'd pick the former.

PS I would never do extras while doing vaccines. I'd do the vaccines one time, do the chip another. Same for any procedure.

We had our girls microchipped when they were about 7 months. Not a peep from them, it went very well. Last week they had rabies jabs (for their Petpassports) and they didn't like those at all. Maija was in pain for some time afterwards. But microchipping was no problem at all.